


I Can Feel It When We Kiss

by paintmewithwordsandphrases



Series: Stucky ABO-verse series [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Natasha Romanov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Beta Sam Wilson, Canon Disabled Character, Clint Is a Good Bro, Deaf Clint Barton, Fluff, M/M, Metal arm porn, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Omega Clint Barton, Omega Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Romance, Shameless Smut, Skinny Steve, Smut, Winter Soldier Bucky, boys need to learn how to communicate, christmas smut?, graphic depictions of sex, partially deaf steve rogers, sam is always a good bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 07:34:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9062584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintmewithwordsandphrases/pseuds/paintmewithwordsandphrases
Summary: A new addition to my Stucky ABO coffee shop shrinkyclinks AU that no one wanted but got anyway.My story "I Know You Have A Heavy Heart" is required reading





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, just kind of a drabble in this series. I was hoping to get this up earlier today as a celebration for Christmas, but family stuff got in the way and all that jazz. Once again, this is unbeta'd so mistakes are my own. Took me a while to get this out because I was suffering from post Yuri!!! On Ice depression. I put in some easter eggs referencing it in this drabble so if you're a fan, keep your eyes out for them! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season!
> 
> Title is from "Lua" by Bright Eyes
> 
>  
> 
> P.S. I've sort of messed around with the dynamics and rules of ABO just for fun.

“C’mon guys, I can help ya this time,” Steve said exasperatedly as Clint and Sam hauled his green couch out of the trailer. They both shot Steve matching flat, unamused looks that Steve would normally have laughed at if they hadn’t looked so creepily similar. Steve huffed and rolled his eyes as he scampered in front of them to hold the iron gate open for them to pass through.

“Seriously, dude? And risk you getting crushed to death and Barnes ripping me apart limb from limb? Nah, I like my parts, ya know, attached to my body thank you very much,” Sam replied, grunting as they hit the steps to the porch.

“I mean, what a way t’ go though. Bein’ split by a swole as hell Alpha,” Clint intoned, leaning out from behind the couch and waggling his eyebrows at Steve suggestively. Steve made a strangled noise in the back of his throat as he face-palmed, a bright blush blooming across his face and turning the tips of his ears red.

“Jesus, Mary, an’ Joseph. You kiss your wife with that mouth, Barton?” Sam grit out as he maneuvered the couch to fit through the front door. “Man, are you even holding the couch like at all?!” Sam demanded shooting a glare at Clint, sweat breaking out on his forehead while trying to tug the couch over the threshold. 

“I do a lot t’ my wife with this mouth,” Clint retorted with a salacious grin across his face. “An’ I’ll have ya know, I’m doin’ my best over here.” Clint’s tone was filled with false offense as he looked over at Steve with a mischievous grin and signed ‘I’m not’ then quickly adopting a pout on his face before Sam could catch him.

“One: ya nasty; two: I believe ya ‘bout as far as I can throw ya.” With a grunt of finality, Sam set the couch onto the hardwood floor of the living room and flung himself down on the overstuffed cushions. 

“S’cuse you! I am a delicate, beautiful flower,” Clint said with a sniff, his palm resting against his chest snootily. It was a hard statement to sell when Clint was buffer than your average Omega, covered in small white bandages from clumsy kitchen injuries and God only knew what else.

“Delicate and beautiful my ass,” Sam snorted back in return, rolling his eyes.

“Rude! Ya kiss yer mother with that mouth?” Clint sassed back, throwing Sam’s words back at him.

“My mama’s a saint, Barton,” Sam declared, fixing the Omega with a glare.

Steve shut the door loudly, catching their attention before they could carry on with their squabble. Putting his hands on his hips, Steve bit his lip and looked at them sheepishly.

“Actually, that couch is goin’ upstairs in the room with all a’ my art supplies an’ Bucky’s piano,” Steve said, smiling apologetically at them when they both let out groans, Sam’s head rolling against the arm of the couch and Clint flinging himself dramatically across the back.

“Hey, you two needin’ a hand?” Bucky asked, poking his head out from the threshold of the kitchen, his brows furrowed in concern. “I really should be the one totin’ Steve’s stuff, since it’s our house an’ yer our guests an’ all.”

“Nah, ya jus’ work on gettin’ that amazin’ pizza done. Sam an’ I’ll get this couch up no sweat,” Clint said snapping up from the couch and pushing at Sam to get up. 

If you were to ask Clint Barton what his loves were, he would tell you Natasha, baking, and pizza—not necessarily in that order, mind you. And when he had tasted Bucky Barnes’s homemade pizza for the first time, it was love at first bite. Natasha would adamantly deny it, but she is jealous of pizza.

“Yeah, yeah, we got this man. Consider it a congratulatory house warming gift,” Sam said, giving Bucky a playful gap-toothed smile. 

“Ya got it, pal,” Bucky replied with a chuckle before stepping back into the kitchen.

“I call pullin’ it up!” Clint crowed, grabbing the end of the couch closest to the stairs.

“Aaaw, c’mon man!” Sam groaned back in return, grabbing the other end to push.

Steve shook his head in fond exasperation and rolled his eyes as the Omega and Beta began slowly hoisting the couch up the stairs, bickering playfully with each other. 

Making his way into the kitchen, he couldn’t keep the large grin from spreading across his face. He watched his Alpha move around the space expertly: bending over the oven most likely checking on the cook of the pizza, before nodding to himself and going to the counter to finish dicing a tomato for a salad. Steve could feel himself getting hot and bothered just watching Bucky’s strong body moving so smoothly around the kitchen, his muscular back stretching his dove gray sweater to its limits and his low hanging sweats clinging to his powerful legs. Bucky sang along quietly to a song playing through the iPod speakers on the counter next to him, head bopping and hips swaying

Steve quietly padded up behind him on silent bare feet, not wanting to ruin the perfect picture in front of him but also giving in to the overwhelming desire to touch. Slowly Steve snaked his arms around Bucky’s middle, stepping up on his tiptoes to kiss behind his left ear before giving the lobe a playful bite.

“Smells amazin’ Buck,” Steve compliments into his ear with a grin as he feels a small shiver run down Bucky’s spine. Bucky turns his body around in Steve’s arms with a smirk quirking the side of his pouty lips up. 

“Ya know what they say: flattery gets ya everywhere,” Bucky joked, grinning down at Steve whose chin rested against his muscular chest and stared up at him with huge impossibly blue eyes. 

“Tha’s what I heard,” Steve replied smiling up at him winningly. Bucky chuckled, his chest rumbling and eyes crinkling, then held up a piece of tomato to Steve’s full bottom lip. Keeping his eyes glued to Bucky’s, Steve opened his mouth invitingly. Bucky’s eyes darkened as he slowly pressed the tomato onto Steve’s pink tongue, gasping when Steve’s lips wrapped around his finger. Steve slipped is mouth off of Bucky’s finger with a wet pop, chewing the tomato slowly and looking up at Bucky from underneath his eyelashes. 

“Gonna be the death a’ me,” Bucky growled lowly, pulling Steve impossibly closer by his hips. 

“Mmm…” Steve responded, nuzzling his face into Bucky’s soft sweater. Steve’s hands ran up the planes of Bucky’s chest, arms wrapping around his neck and fingers playing with the wisps of hair curling free from his messy bun. 

Bucky’s arms tightened around Steve’s waist, dropping his stubbled cheek against the top of Steve’s fine golden hair. He began swaying gently to the song playing through the speakers behind him.

“You are the smell before rain/ you are the blood in my veins. Call me a safe bet/ I’m betting I’m not,” Bucky sang along lowly, his mouth angled toward Steve’s right ear. Steve closed his eyes at the sound of Bucky’s smooth voice. Steve had been pleasantly surprised when he had learned that Bucky had a talent for music—not professionally cultivated, but naturally in tune with an ear for pitch both in singing and with playing the piano.

Steve suddenly mumbled incoherently into Bucky’s sweater, tightening his arms around Bucky.

“What’d ya say, sweetheart?” Bucky asked, lifting his head and stopping his swaying. Steve turned his head up to look him in the eyes, chin resting against his chest again.

“Our house. Ya said it earlier,” Steve’s cheeks flushed as he smiled shyly up at him, his eyes shining brightly and biting his bottom lip. Bucky’s eyes softened, one of his hands lifting to cradle the side of Steve’s face tenderly.

“I mean it, ya know? You an’ me; our home,” Bucky whispered, stroking his thumb across Steve’s cheekbone. Going up on tiptoe, Steve hauled Bucky’s face down to his crashing their mouths together in a heated kiss. After his ma died, Steve never thought he’d ever feel the sense of ‘home’ again, that he’d belong somewhere—to someone. Steve poured everything that he was feeling into the kiss, trying to convey it without words.

They had been together “officially” for almost a year, becoming integral parts of each other’s lives. Even coordinating their work schedules so they would have the same days off each week and working matching shifts so they could actually spend time together after work. They spent most of their time cooped up in Bucky’s house, eating take out and binge watching things on Netflix or doing innocuous things quietly together, Steve working on the commissions he’d been steadily getting while Bucky read one of his science fiction novels or played his piano (when Steve asked him with huge imploring blue eyes) or perfected a new recipe. It was much more convenient for them there anyway, as Steve’s apartment building disallowed unbonded Alphas.

Without realizing it, Steve had basically moved into Bucky’s home by the time they had reached the four-month mark. They would usually lose all sense of time wrapped up in each other after they got off work that Steve would just end up sleeping over—not that Steve minded one bit, or Bucky for that matter. Most of Steve’s wardrobe had migrated to take up half of Bucky’s closet and dressers without either of them really noticing, and all of Steve’s art supplies were splayed around Bucky’s music room-slash-library ever since Bucky had invited Steve to use the space after Steve had commented on the great natural lighting coming in from the large French door windows that led to a small balcony. 

Steve had only agreed to the arrangement on the basis that Bucky had to also use the space, assuaging any guilt Steve had at taking the space away from him. Bucky had been hesitant at first, looking at the piano as if it were a ghost before finally agreeing. Steve wanted to ask about it, but didn’t want to pry; Bucky would tell him when he wanted to. Though, Steve had all but forgotten that forlorn look as Bucky became more and more enthusiastic about playing for him, asking him for requests that he could map out across the keys. Some nights were filled completely with them sitting next to each other on the bench, covering songs by their favorite bands.

When Steve had gotten the lease renewal notice in his mailbox, he was suddenly hit with the fact that he was never there. Especially considering the timestamp on the notice was for five days prior, making Steve realize he hadn’t even been to his apartment once in those five days or more. He figured he would end up just signing another lease on the same apartment even though is heart only screamed ‘home’ when he was with Bucky at his house. Steve was too nervous to actually talk to Bucky about it, not wanting to ruin what they had by moving too fast for the Alpha. Though, Steve knew for the longest time that he was all in, completely gone for Bucky in every way imaginable. In the end, Steve needn’t have worried, as Bucky was the one to take the first step.

“Are ya goin’ to renew your lease at the same place?” Bucky asked, picking up the notice after Steve had accidentally spilled the contents of his messenger bag on the kitchen floor after a particularly exhausting day of work. Steve’s eyes shot up from where he was scooping up loose sketches to see the notice in Bucky’s hand. Steve hesitated on his answer, casting his eyes down and to the side.

“You could move in with me, ya know, if ya wanted? ‘Cause I definitely do, um, want ya to move in that is,” Bucky started casually before blushing and getting flustered. “I mean, ya don’t have’ta if you don’t wanna….” He trailed off with an awkward cough. Steve shook himself out of his shocked state, lunging forward and accidentally tackling Bucky onto the floor.

“YES! ‘Course I do, jerk,” Steve blurted loudly, blushing all the way down to his chest at Bucky’s look of surprise. Bucky barked out a loud laugh before mumbling something about Steve being a punk and kissing him senseless.

The sound of a loud ‘thump’ above their heads and accompanying muffled voices broke them apart as they remembered that they had guests who they were supposed to be making dinner for. They both looked up at the ceiling with matching cringes when they heard the sound of the couch being scooted across the floor and Sam yelling something indiscernible. 

“Better not let that pizza burn or it’s gonna be World War III in here,” Steve joked, kissing the cleft in Bucky’s chin quickly before pulling himself away to start setting the table. Bucky sighed dramatically.

“Cock blocked by pizza and couches,” he lamented pulling the pizza out of the oven to cool on top of the stove. 

“I’ll make it up to ya later,” Steve placated, scooping the diced tomatoes from the cutting board and dumping them onto the salad with zero finesse. As he turned to walk toward the table Bucky’s arms wrapped around him with a playful growl.

“Is that right, sweetheart?” Bucky murmured hotly into his ear, finger splaying across Steve’s belly possessively.

“Gonna make ya come so hard ya gonna forget your own fuckin’ name,” Steve vowed back lowly, giving Bucky a saucy look over his shoulder and grinding back into Bucky’s hardening cock before breaking out of his hold to finish with the table.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” Bucky swore under his breath, watching Steve put an extra sway into his hips as he walked to the table.

“Y’all better not be up to no funny business in there,” Sam’s voice called from the living room. Steve rolled his eyes in exasperation while Bucky chuckled and opened a drawer to find the pizza cutter. “Whatever y’all are doin’ you better stop in 3…2…1….” Sam and Clint both walked through the entryway of the kitchen, Clint’s eyes wide with excitement and actual drool dribbling out of his mouth and Sam squinting his eyes at both Steve and Bucky to size them up for any ‘funny business.’

“Don’t be such a prude, Sam. Nat an’ I’ve fucked on ev’ry inch of our kitchen an’ you ain’t got no problems eatin’ there. We jus’ got good smell neutralizers so ya can’t tell,” Clint said, rolling his eyes in Sam’s direction before grabbing a chilled beer from the table and popping the cap off. Sam squawked in horror and indignation, his eyes widening and mouth hanging open. 

“Jesus,” Steve muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses and squeezing his eyes shut tightly to fight off the blush taking over his whole face. Bucky laughed loudly, pausing in his task of pizza slicing to give Clint a fist bump. The doorbell rang, signaling Nat’s arrival and saving Steve from further embarrassment.

“Ugh, don’t encourage ‘im,” Steve groaned, shooting Bucky a look as he made his way to answer the door. Bucky just winked back, a salacious grin on his face. 

Steve padded to the front door, grumbling under his breath the whole way about acquiring new friends and boyfriend who weren’t immature pups. Swinging the door open, Steve was immediately assaulted with Natasha’s familiar floral scent with an underlying earthiness that always comforted him and complimented Clint’s citrusy scent perfectly. Nat quirked a smile at him, red hair pulled into a high ponytail and still looking immaculate even in her lounge attire of yoga pants that say “Slytherin” in large green font down one leg and a tank top. 

“Sorry it took so long,” Nat intoned as she walked through the door. “While you guys get Sundays off to do whatever, the only real adult has to sort out all the finances and go over the books,” she teased, green eyes glinting playfully. Steve stuck his tongue out at her in retaliation as he closed the door behind him causing her to burst into a fit of laughter and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. So much for not being an immature pup….

“Oh baby, you’re finally here!” Clint moaned out as Nat and Steve made it into the kitchen. Nat’s grin quickly turned into a scowl when she realized that Clint was in fact talking to the slice of pizza he was currently trying to shove down his throat whole. Bucky and Sam stared at Clint in a mixture of disgust and fascination from their seats at the table as they filled their plates with salad and pizza.

“Don’t mind me honey, I’m just your wife whom you haven’t seen all day. But that’s fine, go ahead, eat your pizza,” Natasha grumbled as she plopped down into the vacant chair beside Clint and began aggressively piling salad and pizza onto her plate. Steve and Bucky exchanged looks and hid their grins behind slices of pizza. 

Natasha warmed up by the time Clint had polished off a few slices, turning some of his attention toward his Alpha after having sated his desire for pizza. Everyone chatted amiably, laughing at each other’s expense as they told embarrassing stories from their college days to Bucky. Steve felt so warm, completely surrounded by so much love. There curled up into Bucky’s side, his arm swung casually across his shoulders to keep him close, with his friends’ laughing faces filled with happiness around him, Steve found he was the happiest and most content he’d ever been in his life. 

When the sun had set and all of the food had been eaten, the group decided to call it a night. Especially considering most of them had to be at work when most people were only just waking. Steve and Bucky both walked the group to the door to say their goodnights. 

“Thanks for all the help today,” Steve said hugging each person tightly, eyes shining and heart full with emotion.

“Feel free t’ come over any time,” Bucky invited warmly, giving them the full force of his eye crinkling and nose scrunching smile that Steve melted over. His eyes widened in surprise when Natasha kissed one side of his cheek while Clint kissed his other.

“Keep makin’ pizza like that an’ I’ll never leave,” Clint vowed jokingly.

“He pretends he’s kidding, but he’s not,” Natasha intones seriously, rolling her eyes as she wrapped an arm around Clint’s waist and guided him out the door.

“I ain’t kissin’ ya, man,” Sam said with a deadpan look on his face before pulling Bucky into a short embrace. Bucky chuckled and returned it tightly.

“Oh! I meant t’ ask ya ‘bout a Harley I been workin’ on,” Sam recalled suddenly, having forgotten to ask earlier in the day. Bucky and Sam had managed to bond rather quickly over talking about anything with an engine. Steve left them to talk shop for a bit wanting to get the dishes done before it got any later and he lost all will to do them.

He was putting the last dish away into the dishwasher when he felt Bucky’s warm muscular chest press up against his back and large hands splay across his narrow hips. Steve couldn’t help the embarrassing purr that left his throat at the feel of Bucky’s lips against the scent gland in his neck, tilting his head further to the side to give him more access. Bucky’s responding growl of pleasure sent tingles up his spine and slick to start soaking his pants.

“Always taste so sweet. Just as good a ya smell,” Bucky murmured hotly against Steve’s neck before giving it a stinging bite. Steve moaned incoherently, knees buckling under him and eyes rolling into the back of his head. 

“Ready to finish what we started, huh darlin’?” Bucky asked, grinning against Steve’s neck triumphantly at making his Omega so hot and bothered. Steve swiftly turned around in Bucky’s arms and pulled him down into a fierce kiss, licking into his mouth until the kiss turned deep and filthy. Steve broke away from the kiss lips swollen red and glistening, cheeks flushed, and chest panting. Steve’s lips turned up into a feral grin, lust-filled eyes blazing into Bucky’s.

“If ya can catch me, Alpha,” Steve whispered lowly before nipping at Bucky’s chin and darting out of his arms, stopping only when he made it to the threshold of the kitchen and turning to give Bucky a challenging look. Bucky stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds, confused and half hard before coming back into himself. A large predatory smile formed across Bucky’s face, a deep growl ripping from his throat and echoing through the house. Steve took in a sharp breath, his skin heating up and a new wave of slick dribbling down his ass. Keeping eye contact, Bucky put both hands on top of the floating island in the middle of the kitchen between them before vaulting completely over it. 

Steve took off like a shot, making his way quickly toward the stairs. He could feel his heart pick up in excitement with every loud ‘thud’ of Bucky’s steps behind him. Rounding the stairs, he used the bannister to pull himself sharply onto the steps, barely being missed by Bucky’s large grabbing hands. Bucky’s missed lunge at Steve’s middle caused him to overshoot the stairs and drift into the rarely used sitting room off to the side. Another growl echoed as he watched Steve disappear into the upstairs. 

Steve ducked into their bedroom quickly, eyes shining and massive grin perpetually on his lips at their little game. He could hear Bucky coming up the stairs, taking two at a time by the sound of it, sending a thrill up his spine. Suddenly, Bucky was in the doorway eyes sharp as he caught sight of Steve. He stalked toward him, like a jungle cat about to get his next meal. Steve jumped on the bed, glad that he had had the foresight to tie the curtains closed this morning, dashing across it and narrowly avoiding Bucky’s arms as he tried to catch him. 

“Gettin’ slow Buck,” Steve called out tauntingly behind him as he ran from the room, barking out a laugh at Bucky’s muffled string of curses. Steve ran into the art room, putting himself on the opposite side of the piano from the door. Bucky was there in a flash, eyes shining brightly and face flushed pink with his hair completely falling out of its elastic confines. He looked completely wild with his feral grin and heaving chest, and so, so heartbreakingly beautiful that Steve’s breath caught in his throat. They had a standoff on opposing sides of the instrument, each one waiting intensely for the other to make the first move. Steve shot around the piano toward the door, laughing as Bucky finally managed to wrap his arms around his waist and pull him against his muscular body. 

“Well, well, well. Look what I caught,” Bucky lilted playfully, his hand drifting up from Steve’s waist and resting against his heaving sternum. Steve wriggled in his grasp at the tone of his voice, feeling his hardening cock against his ass and setting a fire inside his belly. 

Bucky growled possessively and bit firmly into the flesh of the back of his neck, making Steve go limp and let out a needy whine in response. Bucky hummed low in his chest like a purr vibrating against Steve’s back, his Alpha hindbrain showing its approval at Steve’s good behavior. His hands trailed slowly down Steve’s chest, fingers caressing the dips of each of his ribs through the soft material of his shirt. Steve’s breath hitched, but he remained still showing Bucky that he could be good. The pressure of Bucky’s teeth disappeared, his tongue darting out to lave at the spot to sooth the stinging skin. A quiet moan escaped past Steve’s gaping lips, though his body continued to be lax in Bucky’s hold.

“So good, sweetheart,” Bucky murmured, his lips brushing against the back of Steve’s neck as he began to nose his way toward Steve’s scent gland. Steve’s head lulled back against Bucky’s chest, baring his neck to Bucky’s hot mouth.

“I deserve a reward, don’t ya think?” Steve suggested breathily, his chest no longer heaving and assuaging Bucky’s worry of an asthma attack. Bucky’s mouth quirked up into a grin where it was previously worrying the skin of Steve’s slender throat.

“I think I can come up with somethin’,” Bucky responded with a low chuckle giving Steve’s flesh one final nip before picking him up. Steve let out a surprised yelp as Bucky manhandled him onto the lid of the piano, taking the space between his thighs and pulling their hips flush.

“Jesus Christ, Buck, warn a guy next time,” Steve complained half-heartedly, though he knew it was a weak argument judging by how hard his dick twitched in reaction. Large calloused hands slowly rucked his shirt up his sides, thumbs grazing his nipples until the offending article of clothing was tossed into the abyss of the room. Bucky leaned in close, hands on the piano on either side of Steve’s hips caging him in, until their lips were almost touching. Steve stared mesmerized into Bucky’s glinting gray eyes before flicking down to watch Bucky’s pink tongue dart out across his swollen red bottom lip. 

“Alrighty Stevie,” Bucky murmured, Steve’s eyes still glued to those sinful lips. “I’m gonna eat your ass like it’s my job.” Steve’s whole body began to flush with arousal at Bucky’s words, moaned as he felt Bucky’s fingers hook into the waistband of his pants and yanked them down harshly. Steve fell back onto his elbows and stared down his body at Bucky’s lust filled eyes as his hardened cock sprang free against his belly. Steve’s hand shot out and grabbed a fist full of Bucky’s thick hair and sat up slightly, staring into Bucky’s wide eyes.

“Honey, it is your goddamn job,” Steve growled out tugging the roots of his hair firmly. Bucky moaned low in his throat at the sensation. Without another word, Bucky dropped to his knees, hooking Steve’s legs over his shoulders and pulling him closer to the edge of the instrument. Steve leaned back against the smooth surface of the piano, head landing with a ‘thunk’ at the feel of Bucky’s warm breath ghosting over his slick covered flesh. 

Bucky’s hands slowly slid over the soft skin of Steve’s thighs, fingers kneading into his pert ass cheeks before suddenly spreading him open fully. Steve let out a strangled gasp at the feeling of cold air hitting his sensitive hole and the burning stretch of being parted so wide.

“So perfect Stevie,” Bucky praised in a low voice. “So fuckin’ pretty, sweetheart.”

Steve’s face and chest flushed an even deeper shade of red at the praise, his Omega hindbrain pleased and preening with it. Shaking his head, Steve opened his mouth to tell the Alpha to ‘shut the fuck up and get on with it already’ when Bucky’s hot, wet tongue took a long swipe across his hole and up into the underside of his balls. Steve’s moan was a wrecked sob that tore out of his throat, his hand tightening in Bucky’s thick locks. Bucky’s tongue returned to his hole, circling the tight ring of muscle before hollowing his cheeks out to suck. 

“Jesus fuck,” Steve cursed, his back arching. “Oh Buck… Oh god,” he moaned hoarsely crossing his ankles on Bucky’s back and pulling his face closer as his hips ground down toward Bucky’s mouth. Bucky hummed at Steve’s enthusiastic response, speeding up his tongue and sliding a finger into the loosening hole. Steve stilled suddenly, the hand in Bucky’s hair pulling.

“The other one,” Steve demanded. He felt Bucky’s finger stop its movements and heard him take in a sharp breath. Steve tipped his chin down and met Bucky’s disbelieving gaze. Steve’s face flushed deeper as he set his jaw, eyes shinning with challenge. “The other one.”

Bucky kept his stormy eyes locked onto Steve’s face as he withdrew his finger before slowly dragging the index finger of his metal arm up the cleft of Steve’s ass collecting excess slick and spit. Steve’s breath caught at the feel of the cool digit, flushing down to his navel at the excited jump his cock gave. Bucky’s brow relaxed, a grin pulling up his glistening mouth. 

“You gotta metal fetish, Stevie?” Bucky taunted lightly, his finger swirling around the puckered hole. A shiver ran up Steve’s spine, a fresh wave of slick dribbling out and onto the metal digit. Bucky chuckled as he scooped it up and pushed it back into Steve until he was knuckle deep in his warmth. 

“Fuck you Barnes,” Steve managed to ground out, tossing his head back and letting out a low whine when Bucky crooked his finger in retaliation. 

“That’s the idea, yeah,” Bucky chuckled before attaching his mouth back onto Steve’s ass. Steve could feel Bucky’s tongue and finger fucking into him simultaneously, filling the room with the lewd sounds of heavy breathing and rhythmic squelching. At the feeling of another cool finger entering him, Steve’s back arched off of the polished surface of the instrument, groaning as Bucky’s fingers scissored inside him. 

“Yeah, Buck, right there,” Steve babbled breathily when Bucky’s fingers grazed his prostate. Taking this statement as a personal mission, Bucky began to stroke relentlessly inside of him. 

“Touch yourself,” Bucky demanded, fingers still pumping into Steve’s greedy hole. Caught off guard, Steve’s eyes flew open in surprise to stare at Bucky in shock.

“Wha—?” Steve managed to choke out in a stunned voice.

“Touch yourself,” Bucky repeated, this time in a low growl that brokered no arguments as his lust filled gaze traveled down to Steve’s hard cock where it continued to dribble precum onto Steve’s stomach with every bounce. Flushing even deeper with equal parts embarrassment and arousal, Steve’s hand slowly traveled down his body until his hand came into contact with his aching cock. He let out a low needy whine at the relief his touch gave, his hand instinctually wrapping tighter around himself and thumb circling the weeping head. 

“Oh, darlin’, just like that. Lookin’ so pretty,” Bucky groaned out as he watched the display in front of him. Steve moaned in response, his hand working faster to match the thrusts of Bucky’s fingers as they continued to fuck into him.

Steve’s body coiled tighter and tighter, muscles tensing as he began to quickly climb toward his release. His head tossed side to side, eyes shut tightly at the onslaught of sensation, red full mouth hanging open and uttering throaty curses. Heat began traveling up his body, tingling at the base of his spine before the combination of Bucky’s fingers on his prostate and a particular flick of his own wrist sent him spiraling into pleasure with a loud whine ripping from his throat. 

Cum shot out in ribbons across Steve’s stomach and chest, standing out starkly against his flush panting skin. Bucky murmured words of praise as he continued to milk Steve’s prostate. Steve’s hand fell away from his spent cock still dribbling bits of cum, his thighs shaking and chest heaving as his body was wracked with aftershocks of pleasure. He made a mournful sound when he felt Bucky’s fingers pull out of him, leaving him empty and gaping. Bucky shushed him comfortingly as he began to pepper kisses up Steve’s trembling thigh.

“Sweetheart, so amazin’,” he murmured against the skin of Steve’s inner thigh before placing a delicate, wet kiss. “So pretty.” Kiss. “So good for me.” Kiss. When he reached Steve’s hips, he nipped gently at the slightly protruding bone before lapping his tongue across Steve’s cum covered belly. “Taste so good.”

Steve purred at his Alpha’s aftercare attentions, reveling in the pampering kisses and scenting. With eyes closed and body relaxed in post orgasmic bliss, Steve’s hand slowly stroked through Bucky’s thick hair encouragingly as Bucky continued to lap at his belly and chest. When Bucky’s tongue made a notable absence, Steve opened his eyes slowly and looked down to find Bucky’s chin propped against his sternum with a large grin curling his lips.

“Ya gonna sit there all night or are ya gonna kiss me?” Steve demanded with a cheeky grin of his own. Bucky chuckled warmly before attacking Steve’s lips with his own. It was intoxicating on a basic primal level, the taste of Bucky and his own cum mixed together on his and Bucky’s tongues. At the feel of cloth rubbing against his sensitive skin, Steve broke their kiss. 

“Ain’tcha a li’l over-dressed, there?” Steve asked quirking a brow and eyes darting down to call attention to the fact that Steve was completely naked as the day he was born while Bucky had yet to shed even one article of clothing. 

“Well, wouldja look at that,” Bucky responded, looking down at himself in mock surprise. “Care to help solve that problem?” He asked, throwing Steve one of his salacious grins and wiggling his eyebrows. Steve chuckled, pushing at Bucky’s chest firmly.

“Nah. I think I’d rather watch,” Steve replied biting his bottom lip and looking up at Bucky from under his thick dark lashes, a flush warming his cheeks and ears. Bucky’s grin grew impossibly wider, his eyes darkening with lust as he stood up from Steve’s person space. Steve propped himself on his elbows, eyes bright and intent on seeing Bucky’s skin.

Bucky’s arms reached behind his back, his large muscles straining as he reached for the hem of his shirt. Grabbing the bottom, he slowly pulled it up and over his head before tossing it to the side. Steve’s eyes hungrily took in every bit of exposed skin stretched over taut, bulging muscle. No matter how many times he saw the man without clothes, Steve continued to be amazed at the sheer beauty of his body. Steve’s breath caught in his throat as Bucky trailed his hands down his pecs and across his abs, the muscles bunching and jumping at the contact, following the trail of dark hair under his bellybutton down to the waistband of his pants. 

Steve’s mouth began to water as his eyes dropped down to the large, noticeable bulge outlined through the thin lounge pants. Noticing Steve’s keen interest in his hard cock, Bucky did away with any slow teasing, pulling both the waistbands of his underwear and pants down at the same time before kicking them off completely. Steve hadn’t realized he’d even sat up until he found himself leaning forward over the lip of the piano’s edge, drawn so intently toward Bucky’s straining cock and thick muscular thighs. 

“I believe I was promised t’ be fucked ‘til I forgot my own name,” Bucky reminded casually, stepping back into the space between Steve’s thighs. Steve’s mouth flicked up into a feral grin, his legs wrapping tightly around Bucky’s waist and pulling him in until their chests touched. 

“Couch. Now,” Steve demanded before attaching his lips to the underside of Bucky’s jaw, nipping and licking at his scent gland. Bucky’s legs almost buckled out from under him at the sensation, his eyes rolling and a growl reverberating in his chest. Shoving his hands under Steve’s ass, he hoisted Steve up and stalked toward the new green addition to the household in just three strides.

“Sit,” Steve commanded, radiating with pleasure when he was instantly obeyed. Steve’s mouth traveled up Bucky’s jaw before licking into his mouth. One of his hands quickly snaked down to his ass, shoving three of his fingers into his loosened hole. After pumping them in and out a few times, he took Bucky’s aching cock into his slicked up hand. Bucky groaned, breaking the kiss and letting his head fall back onto the back of the couch. Steve stroked up and down his length, coating it with slick and precum that beaded out of the tip. Rising up on his knees, Steve lined up the head of Bucky’s cock to his aching hole before slowly sinking down. They both let out loud, low moans at the feel of Steve’s warm, tight walls clenching around Bucky’s cock. Once Steve managed to bottom out, he grabbed the back of the couch on either side of Bucky’s head for support and slowly began to swivel his hips. 

“Oh, fuck. Steve, sweetheart,” Bucky grit out, his fingers digging into the flesh at Steve’s hips and his eyes shut tight at the sensation. 

“Look at me.” Steve’s voice came out low and demanding, one of his hands grabbing Bucky’s chin firmly. Bucky’s eyes shot open, stormy grey meeting Steve’s blazing blue.

“Don’t ever look away,” Steve commanded breathily eyes never breaking contact, his hand an unrelenting vise on Bucky’s face. Bucky’s mouth dropped open, eyes widening in surprise but obeying nonetheless. His fingers spasmed at Steve’s hips, his cock giving an aroused jump inside of Steve. Steve’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, groaning as he began to roll his hips in earnest and using Bucky’s massive thighs as leverage to take the strain off his own legs.

Bucky’s eyes darted continuously over Steve’s body, his mind at war with which delicious sight it wanted to focus on. Steve’s hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions like a golden halo, his long eyelashes fanning across his flushed cheeks stained pink with exertion and his plush red mouth panting open. Being a full body blusher, Steve’s normally pale chest down to his naval was dusted pink, his rosy nipples hard and sensitive, standing out with each heaving breath. And the most tantalizing display of them all: the sight of Bucky’s slicked cock sliding in and out of Steve’s hole as Steve continued to ride him mercilessly, the filthy sound of slapping skin echoing through the room punctuated by their pants and groans. 

Steve’s thumb pushed itself into Bucky’s gaping, wet mouth demanding to be sucked. Bucky lifted his gaze up through his lashes to find Steve staring down at him, eyes half-lidded with lust. His lips automatically latched onto the digit, his tongue swirling around the pad before sucking it deeper into the warm confines of his mouth. Keeping his eyes on Steve’s, Bucky trailed his metal hand over the swell of Steve’s ass until his finger came in contact with where they were joined. Steve’s hips stuttered when Bucky’s cool finger began making slow strokes against the swollen ring of muscle. 

“Oh, shit, oh….” Steve sobbed, throwing his head back as Bucky worked his finger into him and began fucking him with both, getting him ready for his knot. Bucky knew he wasn’t going to last much longer, felt his balls drawing up tighter and tighter as his knot began to swell at his base. 

As if sensing Bucky’s deteriorating stamina, Steve’s movements became erratic, bouncing harshly onto Bucky’s cock. Steve’s finger slipped out of Bucky’s mouth spit glistening over his lips and chin as Steve grabbed ahold of the back of the couch again. Steve’s body tensed above Bucky, his movement’s halting all together as pleasure shot through his body. With a wrecked sob Steve came, thighs shaking and toes curling as he buried his face into the crook of Bucky’s neck. Bucky swiftly took over continuing their relentless pace as he fucked his hips up hard into Steve. 

Steve babbled incoherently into the skin of Bucky’s neck, his breath pushing out of him with each smacking thrust. Feeling his knot swell, Bucky quickly withdrew his finger, his knot slipping snuggly past the swollen lip of Steve’s hole. Steve whined at the stretch and tugging of the knot as Bucky continued to fuck into him.

“Doin’ so good Stevie. Almost there,” Bucky praised his Omega, stroking down his spine with one of his large calloused palms. Steve’s mouth latched onto the scent gland under Bucky’s jaw, sucking and licking, filling his being with the smell of pine and the taste of apple. 

With a low rumbling growl, Bucky’s knot popped fully into Steve filling him with a hot wave of cum, his hips slowly rolling up into him as he rode out his orgasm. Steve’s thighs were still shaking when Bucky finally stilled underneath him, their chests pressed tightly together as they both began to come down from their orgasmic bliss. 

“Gonna have’ta do some rearrangin’ sweetheart,” Bucky murmured against Steve’s sweaty temple after noticing the continued strain on Steve’s shaking thighs. Steve let out a whine of protest, but went easily when Bucky carefully maneuvered them until he was lying on his back with Steve resting on top of him to wait for his knot to go down. Steve continued to rub his face at Bucky’s neck, purring low in his throat contentedly. Bucky nosed at Steve’s hairline, rubbing the wrist of his flesh arm up and down the line of Steve’s spine repeatedly, scenting him thoroughly with his claim.

“This thing’s actually pretty damn comfy,” Bucky admitted about the overstuffed monstrosity. Steve hummed in response, nodding his head in agreement.

“Pretty sturdy too, I’d say,” Bucky tacked on, playfully swatting Steve’s pert ass and cackling at the squawk of absolute indignation he got out of his Omega in return.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Natasha and Steve each sat in a plush chair in the cozy little café, sharing some bonding time at the end of another busy day. Now that it was December, people were stopping by more often to find refuge from the snow and freezing winds. While, that meant business was great, it also meant busier shifts with crazier customers. They grinned tiredly at each other when they heard Clint’s toneless warbling voice singing from the kitchen as he prepped for the next day.

“So, you and Bucky have been ‘officially’ living together for a while now,” Natasha began, a small smile quirking her lips as she squeezed a slice of lemon into her strong Russian tea. “How are things going?” Steve’s cheeks heated up, a goofy smile stretching his lips behind his cup of hot chocolate.

“Good, ah, great actually,” Steve stuttered, flushing deeper. “Same ’s always, but in like a good way, ya know? Not like in a borin’ way or nothin’.” Steve was flustered, trying to get his point across while talking with his hands and spilling some of his coco down his shirtfront. Natasha laughed good-naturedly and handed him a towel she had used to wipe a table with.

“No, I know what you mean. That’s good,” she responded back sincerely happy for her friend. Steve gave her a warm smile in return as he swiped at his shirt with the towel.

“I, um, well,” Steve started wringing the towel in his hand nervously, not meeting Natasha’s eyes and flushing hard. “Our cycles synced up a few months back.” 

Natasha’s brows rose toward her hairline and her eyes widened as she set her cup down on the coffee table at their feet. Turning toward him, she gave him her full attention. 

Compatibility was considered to be a fairly rare occurrence between mates. Most people live their lives never finding a compatible mate, though that doesn’t mean that their relationships don’t work or that they don’t love each other just as much. It just means that there is a deeper, primal connection between compatible mates that make their bonds stronger than other bondmates. 

Compatibility is not something that a lot of people even really try to seek out. Though the bond and relationship are stronger for compatible mates (not to mention stronger offspring), there are some serious drawbacks to compatibility that people are wary of. Mostly that, once you bond with your compatible mate: that is it. If your mate is lost, your ability to bond is lost as well. In cases where a mate dies, the other mate is left alone with a broken bond. 

While it is possible to live an entire life with a broken bond, it is as if you are living without your soul. A little over half of the cases in which a compatible mate dies, ends with the death of the other bondmate soon after. Extensive research has been done on this phenomenon, but no conclusive data has been found to suggest a reason for the deaths. Most people chalk it up to the surviving mate’s body willing itself to follow its soul in death.

“Yeah?” She asked in a neutral tone, encouraging him to continue.

“Means we’re compatible,” Steve says into his coco, flicking his eyes up briefly.

“Yes, that is what it means,” Natasha agreed with a nod.

“You an’ Clint, you’re compatible too, right?” Steve asked, tilting his head to the side and looking up at her quizzically. Natasha nodded her confirmation, confused a bit at the direction this was going.

“Me an’ Clint, we’re not much diff’rent. We both have shit we have t’ deal with when it comes to bonds an’ Alphas,” Steve said slowly, mostly talking to himself out loud—trying to gather his thoughts together. “How did you guys decide t’ take that step?”

“Has Bucky asked you to bond?” Natasha asked, trying to navigate the conversation carefully in fear that Steve might clam up.

“No, he ain’t asked,” Steve mumbled with frustration into his drink again, “tha’s the problem.” Natasha’s eyebrows rose even higher at that statement.

“So, you want to bond with him?” She asked needing to hear the confirmation out loud just as much as she thought Steve did. 

“Yeah… I think I do. I never felt this way ‘bout anyone b’fore,” Steve answered, brows furrowed and eyes glinting with conviction. “Not even Peggy,” he added glancing up and meeting Natasha’s intense stare. “I don’t wanna feel this way ‘bout anybody else.”

“Have you talked to him about how you feel?” Natasha asked, a little shocked by this revelation but happy for Steve nonetheless. 

“Not really?” Steve admitted sheepishly. 

“Not really?” Natasha echoed in a deadpan voice, face blank. Steve flushed deeper in embarrassment.

“I thought he would say somethin’ after realizin’ our cycles fuckin’ synced up, alrigh’?” Steve snapped back angrily in his own defense. “But he ain’t said anythin’ ‘bout it!” He growled in frustration, shoving a hand through his shaggy blonde bangs. Natasha sighed in return and opened her mouth to reply when she was cut off by Clint’s voice suddenly right behind her chair.

“You should ask ‘im,” Clint answered simply, toweling the flour off of his forearms. 

“Jus’ straight up ask ‘im how he feels ‘bout bondin’?” Steve asked incredulously. 

“No,” Clint replied. “You do it. Ya go out t’ a nice jewelry store. Ya buy a nice ring ya think he’d like. And you do th’ proposin’,” he explained slowly as if talking to a toddler. Steve just stared at him in return.

“Look, obviously ya ain’t like other Omegas. Neither am I. Both got our own problems wit’ Alphas,” Clint stated matter-of-factly. “Nat knew how I was, didn’t wanna push me. So, I did the proposin’. Rest is history,” Clint finished grabbing, up Natasha’s right hand and pulling a chain with a ring looped through it out from under his shirt to show off their rings. “Hell, or don’t buy rings. Ain’t gotta do what ya don’t wanna do, no matter what society says.” Clint added with a shrug.

“I didn’t know you had rings!” Steve exclaimed looking between the matching gold bands. He had assumed that they had just went the untraditional route that didn’t include rings, exchanging a last name, and officially changing their bond status with the government.

“In Russia, we don’t wear wedding rings on the left hand, but the right. In Russian culture, if you see someone with a bonding ring on their left hand it means they are widowed or their bond has otherwise dissolved,” Natasha said, chuckling at Steve’s look of surprised. “Unless you forgot I’m from Russia, huh?” She teased in mock offense. 

“No, I did not forget! Wait, so you proposed to Nat?” Steve asked, still a bit flabbergasted at Clint’s whole speech. Clint nodded back with a wide, proud grin stretching his face.

“Look, Steve, I knew that Clint had some issues with Alphas and some concerns about what happens to Omegas sometimes when they enter bonds. We were compatible and we were together. I was happy to be with him even without a bond,” Natasha explained, holding Clint’s hand tightly. “I left it up to him to decide on what he wanted our relationship to be. I think Bucky and I are kindred spirits in that way.” She smiled that secretive smile at Steve that always left him assured, if not confused.

“So, ya think wants t’ bond with me but he’s waitin’ for me t’ decide?” Steve clarified, eyebrows unfurrowing and heart soaring with hope.

“Trust me from one Alpha talking about another Alpha, that man is a goner.” Natasha assured, giving him a conspiratorial wink.

“Ya know we gotta nice jewelry store a few blocks over. Plus ya still gotta week ‘til Christmas an’ you been worryin’ ‘bout not havin’ bought Bucky his big present yet,” Clint hinted in a sing-song voice, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Steve’s mouth stretched into a wide smile, eyes shining with excitement at their conviction.

“Sounds like I got some shoppin’ t’ do,” Steve agreed, flushing with embarrassment at Natasha and Clint’s whoops of joy. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

As it turns out, buying a ring was a little more daunting than Steve had originally thought. So, on his day off on Christmas Eve, Steve had come up with a little white lie about having to go into the café for a few hours to get some extra cleaning done while they were closed for the holidays so that Bucky wouldn’t get suspicious. Really, he was meeting up with Sam to go ring shopping but he couldn’t tell Bucky that of course, nor could he just say he was meeting up with Sam for lunch since Steve normally invited Bucky to join them at their lunches. Bucky had been a bit surprised, but hadn’t seemed suspicious so Steve counts that as a win (though he really, really hated having to lie to him in the first place).

“Man, I can not believe you waited ‘til Christmas Eve to do this,” Sam complained as they navigated their way down the street trying to avoid colliding into someone in the herd of people out doing last minute shopping and errands. 

“Ugh. I know, I know,” Steve grumbled back as he got hit in the knee with a lady’s shopping bag full of toys. “I jus’ didn’t have time an’ I’m nervous okay?” He snapped angrily, rubbing his knee and hissing at the throbbing pain. 

“Alright, man,” Sam said in a placating tone, holding his palms up in surrender. “I get it, I’m sorry.” Steve sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly.

“’S not your fault. Sorry, Sam.” He apologized, giving Sam a weak smile.

“Hey, now! That is not the face of a soon to be husband-to-be!” Sam chided kindly, smiling widely and clapping Steve across the back. “Congrats again, man.”

“Thank you,” Steve replied, smiling genuinely back at his friend. “Though he hasn’t said yes yet.” Steve couldn’t help the needling idea in the back of his mind that Bucky would reject him.

“Nuh-uh. He’s gonna say yes,” Sam insisted firmly, putting a stop to Steve’s negative thoughts. “Now, c’mon, gotta get that perfect ring for loverboy!” Steve barked out a loud laugh at Sam’s declaration as he ripped open the door to the jewelry store and pulled Steve inside.

Steve stared at the rows of rings lit up brightly in the glass display cases, nervously chewing his bottom lip raw as his eyes darted from ring to ring.

“How ‘bout this one?” Sam asked pointing toward an onyx colored band. Steve wrinkled his nose. “What? It kind of has that mysterious bad-boy vibe that Bucky’s got goin’ on,” Sam defended, his voice sounding offended that Steve reacted so poorly to his pick. Steve snorted unattractively and rolled his eyes.

“That boy literally sat in his space patterned boxers, played Disney songs on his piano, an’ came up with new grilled cheese recipes all day on ‘is last day off. Ain’t nothin’ mysterious or bad-boy ‘bout that big ol’ dork,” Steve said, a goofy lovesick smile stretching his lips and a flush blooming across his cheeks.

“Alright, that’s just disgustingly cute. Now stop that,” Sam joked, smiling widely at the genuine happiness on his friend’s face.

“My, what a lovely couple,” said a sweet voice from above Steve. Chancing a glance up, he met the smiling face of an older sales woman, her greying blonde hair piled up high on her head in a sophisticated chignon of some sort with too much eyeliner applied to the bottom lid of her pale green eyes and bright red lipstick.

“What a pretty one, you are! And such dainty fingers too, good for showing off a beautiful ring,” the woman crowed at Steve, grasping one of his hands that were previously pressed against the glass case he was perusing. Steve looked from her hand grasping his tightly then back up to her face.

“Excuse me?” Steve asked in confusion.

“Sorry! Bondings just get me in a tizzy,” she apologized letting go of his hand and chuckled to herself. “You two here to pick out a ring? Congratulations by the way!”

“Oh! No, no, no. Not us—we’re not bonding,” Sam stammered, eyes bugging out of his head. 

“Oh, I’m sorry…I just assumed,” she apologized, the smile slipping slightly from her face. 

“But, I am buyin’ a bondin’ ring,” Steve cut in quickly. “Jus’ not for him. He’s jus’ here for moral support mostly.” Steve intoned, chuckling. The woman blinked at him for a second, confused. Steve coughed awkwardly before looking down at the selection of rings. One caught his eye right away, a simple gold band but smaller in width than the other Alpha rings. The other ones that were geared toward Alphas were large and quite ostentatious. Steve felt his face heat up at the idea of Bucky’s long calloused finger working on machinery all day wearing such a delicate piece.

“But you are Omega?” The woman asked, pulling Steve out of his daydream. 

“Yes?” Steve replied, quirking a brow.

“But you have an Alpha,” she stated, rather than asked obviously having smelled Bucky’s Alpha scent on Steve. Steve’s spine straightened and his fists clenched.

“Yes,” Steve answered again shortly.

“Then why are you here?” She asked, her red lips pulling into an unattractive frown. Steve’s eyebrows shot up.

“T’ buy a ring to propose to said Alpha,” Steve stated bluntly. The woman pulled in a sharp breath face looking scandalized and hand on her chest.

“That’s just… not done!” She cried horrified.

“Oh lord,” Sam muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes up toward the ceiling.

“Look, lady, it is. I’m doin’ it, and I wan’ that one,” Steve demanded with a growl his, pointing harshly on the glass at the ring he had been previously eyeing. 

“I’m an Omega but I sure as shit can do whatever the hell I want and that includes proposin’ to an Alpha,” Steve continued when the lady had yet to move. “And I want this one!” He reiterated loudly, aggressively jabbing is finger onto the case again with another growl. The woman snapped out of her shock and quickly unlocked the case, her hand hovered over the thicker band next to Steve’s pick.

“The smaller one please,” Steve asked sweetly, watching the woman’s frown get even deeper as she pulled out the right one. As soon as she locked the case back, she quickly dropped it off at the register and disappeared into the back. Steve stalked up to the register angrily to pay, Sam following behind him muttering “Oh good lord” under his breath the whole way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Steve was still grumbling angrily to himself when he reached his front door. Pinching the bridge of his nose tightly, he took a large breath in and slowly let it out to try to calm himself down. Bucky would instantly be able to tell if he was angry and would start asking questions, and Steve didn’t have it in him to lie to him again. Patting himself on the side, he felt the vague outline of the ring box in the inner pocket of his thick winter coat. Hopefully, he would be able to make it in and stash it away somewhere before Bucky found him.

Pulling his keys out of his pocket, Steve quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside quietly closing the door behind him. He scanned the living room for any signs of Bucky. Light flooded from the kitchen and the faint sound of music reached his ears, meaning Bucky was busy making dinner. He relaxed instantly and began to take off his scarf and gloves, opening the closet next to the door and hung them up on one of the racks next to Bucky’s set.

“You’re home.” Steve jumped and let out a yelp of surprise at Bucky’s voice right behind him. Steve turned around quickly to face him, trying to school his expression from looking like he was a robber being caught red handed. Any response Steve had died in his throat at the look on Bucky’s face. His face was guarded, unmoving as if made of stone, his mouth in a grim line and eyes expressionless.

“Where did you go?” Bucky asked in a low voice. Steve’s heart rate doubled both at the question and at the tone of his voice.

“I told ya. Me an’ Clint wanted t’ get a jump on cleanin’ since this past week kick our asses,” Steve said in a fake exasperated voice.

“I went to the café, but no one was there. I tried callin’ ya but ya never answered.” Steve felt his stomach drop. Pulling his phone from his back pocket, he saw the missed calls and texts from Bucky, all of them worried about his safety. 

“Sorry, it was on silent,” Steve apologized, sincerely.

“D’ya know how worried I was when I got to the café and ya weren’t there and not answerin’ your phone an’ Clint an’ Natasha an’ Sam didn’t know where ya were?” Bucky demanded. “Jesus Christ, Stevie I thought you were hurt or dead or, I don’t know!” His hands raked through his hair, making it even messier. It was then that Steve noticed just how rough he looked: hair in snarls from repeatedly running his hands through it, dark bags under his eyes, and face haggard with worry.

“I’m really sorry Buck,” Steve said, feeling punched in the gut with guilt.

“You’re sorry? That’s all ya hafta say?” Bucky asked with an incredulous laugh. Steve felt his earlier anger rise up again, his shoulders tensing and hands balling into fists.

“What d’ya want me t’ say? I’m not helpless! I can fuckin’ take care ‘a myself!” Steve snapped angrily, stomping around Bucky and into the living room. 

“You’ve been actin’ real weird the last few months an’ even worse these last few days like you been avoidin’ me,” Bucky accused, brows furrowed and jaw clenched. “An’ now you’re lyin’ to me.”

“Ya gonna make me tell ya where I’m goin’ and what I’m doin’ an’ who I’m with? Like one ‘a those controllin’ Alphas that keep their Omegas on a leash? Like Brock Rumlow?” Steve yelled back rounding on him, finally exploding after months of stress and confusion, but mostly anger at himself at knowing that what Bucky was saying was true. He was acting that way—he was lying and avoiding him. Bucky’s eyes widened in shock as if Steve had just slapped him in the face. 

“I’ve never…I’d never…” Bucky muttered hoarsely. “Is that how ya see me now?” To Steve’s absolute horror, tears began streaking down Bucky’s face, his grey eyes shining at him. “I’d never do that t’ya. I’m not gonna make ya stay here if ya wanna leave—if you ain’t happy anymore. If there’s someone else,” Bucky managed to choke out, a sob ripping from his throat. His hands reached up as if to bracket Steve’s face, but never touched him. Steve’s heart suddenly broke in his chest, tears spilling onto his cheeks.

“Ya don’t want me livin’ here anymore?” Steve asked, hating how desolate and desperate his voice sounded. “Ya want me to leave?” Steve thought of the their art room, their nest bed, the kitchen counter he sat on to watch Bucky cook, thought of having to leave all of it behind. A horrible whine ripped from Steve’s throat, a sound so full of pain Steve thought maybe he was dying. Suddenly Bucky’s arms were around him, cradling him close to his chest as they sunk down to the floor.

“Stevie, sweetheart, no,” Bucky sobbed into Steve’s hair. “I never want ya to leave. I love you.” Steve felt Bucky pepper kisses all over his face and hair, wiping away the tears from his face. Steve felt himself relax, calming down from the panic attack.

“But we’re compatible an’ ya never asked to bond with me,” Steve whispered shakily. Steve heard Bucky take a sharp breath in and curse.

“I’m sorry, Stevie. I shoulda said somethin’ but I didn’t wanna push ya or make ya feel like ya had to bond with me. I’m happy with us the way we are, bond or no bond,” Bucky whispered soothingly, stroking his hand down Steve’s back. Steve broke into a fresh wave of sobs, hands fisting into Bucky’s shirt.

“Oh God, Buck, I’m so sorry,” Steve cried. “For everythin’ I said. An’ for lyin’ to ya. An’ for worryin’ ya.” Steve’s apologies kept pouring out of him, wanting to comfort Bucky and assuage his own guilt. “Bucky, ya hafta know I love you, right? I love our house an’ our nest an’ our art room….” Bucky cut off his rambling with a soft kiss.

“I’m sorry Stevie, I was just ‘fraid I was makin’ ya unappy or feel trapped,” Bucky explained softly. “Why did ya lie to me?” It came out pained and Steve winced. Not knowing what else to do, Steve reached into his inside coat pocket and pulled out the ring box.

“It was supposed t’ be a surprise for Christmas. But, I kinda fucked that up,” Steve chuckled wetly. “This ain’t really how I was plannin’ for this t’ go. But, uh, James Buchanan Barnes, would you bond with me?” Steve asked staring up into Bucky’s stunned face as he opened the ring box, chewing on his bottom lip nervously. 

“Hold on just a second. Hold that thought,” Bucky said gently lowering Steve from his lap before taking off up the stairs. Steve sat there, blinking with confusion, box still open and poised in the air when Bucky was suddenly back sitting in front of him.

“Okay, please continue,” Bucky said breathlessly, chest heaving from his sprint up the stairs. 

“Bucky, I know I’m hard-headed an’ hot tempered an’ difficult to deal with sometimes. An’ I can’t promise ya that that will lessen over time. But, what I can promise ya is that I will try to pick my battles more wisely, try to open up an’ talk instead of shout, an’ try to be a person worthy of your love everyday. I love ya so, so much an’ I’m ready to prove that to ya everyday for the rest of our lives. Will you bond with me?” Steve asked, voice tight with emotion and previously shed tears.

“Yes, sweetheart, always yes,” Bucky said immediately eyes bright and mouth smiling, lifting his hand up toward Steve. Bucky hesitated at the sight of his metal hand. Seeing his hesitation, Steve grabbed his right hand. Plucking the ring from the box, Steve slowly slid the ring onto his right ring finger until if fit snuggly against his knuckle. Bucky looked at him curiously.

“In Russia, they wear bond rings on the right hand,” Steve informed him with a small smile, before placing a delicate kiss to the ring. Steve was thrilled with how perfect the ring looked on Bucky’s finger, just like he envisioned.

“Stevie,” Bucky began, causing Steve’s eyes to snap to Bucky’s his stormy eyes boring into him. “I love your hard-headedness an’ your fiery spirit. An’ I wouldn’t change that for the world. I can’t promise that we won’t ever have bad days, but what I can promise ya is that our good ones will far outweigh them. What I can promise ya is that we will always find our way back to each other, even when we’re at our worst. I want to grow an’ learn’ an’ live the rest of this life with you. To wake up every day next to you and be the partner you deserve. Will you bond with me?” 

Steve’s breath caught in his throat as Bucky pulled a ring box out from behind his back, opening the lid to reveal a slim gold band not unlike the one Steve just slipped onto Bucky’s finger. Steve lifted his right hand to Bucky, a water smile stretching across his lips as Bucky gently slid it onto his finger. Kissing the band, Bucky looked up and gave him a bright smile. Steve looked down at his hand in awe, the gold glinting off of the lights hanging on their Christmas tree in the corner of the room.

“Where… When…?” Steve murmured questioningly. Bucky blushed and looked way, his tongue swiping across his bottom lip nervously.

“The day I realized we’re compatible,” Bucky admitted. “I always knew it was you. Just needed to make sure I was it for you too.” Steve barked out a loud laugh, tackling him to the ground. 

“We really need t’ get our heads outta our asses an’ learn to talk,” Steve chuckled, straddling Bucky’s waist. 

“We can add that to our list ‘a stuff we learn together,” Bucky agreed, leaning up and capturing Steve’s lips in a tender kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> The song Bucky is listening/ singing to is "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" by Brand New


End file.
